Sealer casket



Aug. 22, 1950 R. w. BROWN ETAL SEALER CASKET Filed March 4, 1947 2Sheets-Sheet 1 i Raymond Wfirown R6171; M'ezzlramp INVENTORS.

flfw

8- 1950 R. w. BROWN EIAL 2,519,633

SEALER CASKET Filed March 4, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 47 Raymond WBjo wnP15171 22 Wz'n/tamp IN VEN TORS.

B WW 14/3961 Patented Aug. 22, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.cinnati, :Ohio, assignors to The Crane & Breed Gasket flompamy,flincinnati, aGhio, a corporatien of Ohio Application March 4 1947,Serial No. 732,200

(Cl. 2 7l7) 8 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to improvements in a burial casket of theperfection half-couch type, hereafter to be referred to as a split lidcasket.

An object of the invention is to provide .a split lid type of burialcasket with a simple but ellective means for sealing the lids inair-tight relationship with each other and with the body in the casket.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sealer type-oi burialcasket, eliminating the customary plate glass closure ordinarilyassociated with caskets of the type mentioned.

A further object is to provide a casket of the class described that isof durable construction but inexpensive of manufacture.

Another object is to provide a casket of the split lid type, withsealing means utilizing a common form of gasketing material which isreadily obtainable at low cost.

These and other-obiects and advantages are attained by the meansdescribed herein and illustrated upon the accompanying drawings, which:

Fig. l is aside :elevational view of a split lid type of casketembodying the improvements oi the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged iragmental cross-sectional view taken on line :2--:2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. :3 is an enlarged giragmental perspective view of the casket,showing details of the sealing means in a displaced position, forconvenience and clarity of the disclosure.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing one lid section inposition for latching engagement with the casket bodyrim.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental perspective view showing a second lid sectionadapted to cooperate with th lid section of Figs. 3 and 4, in sealingthe eashot at the parting line of-the lid sections.

Fig. 6 is a-view similar to Fig. 4, showing a modification.

The principal parts of the burial casket are illustrated by Fig. 1,wherein 12 indicates the body of the casket, the bottom of which isshown at l3. The body comprises a front wall It, a rear wall i5, and endwalls lfimlfi, the casket being substantially rectangular ofconfiguration. The Honor portion of the body is bounded by a p ripheralhollow rim H, and within said rim is housed a eries of fastening devices18 adapted for clamping the lid sections l9 and 26 onto the body p rtion12. The fastening devices referred to form part of the subject matter ofthe cmpending patent application Serial No. 695,136, filed Sept, 6,1946, now Patent No. 2,506,553, dated May 2, 1950, the applicants beingBernard J. Slaughter, Jr,, and Raymond W. Brown. A full disclosure ofthe fastening devic s may be had by referri to said patent application.

For convenience of explanation, the lid section of the-casket may beregarded as the head section, whereas the section 19 may be consideredthe foot section of the b i-part lid. Head section 20 is provided with ahollow rim 2:! extending about the front, rear and one end thereof, and:a similar rim. 22 is associated with the toot section 19. The lidsections may be furnished with any suitable form of cap panel, as is:usual in the construction of burial caskets.

As may best be understood by reference to Fig. 3, the upper hollow rimI? of the casket body, which extends continuously about the sides andends thereof, is adapted to support a circumferential sealing element23, upon which the lid sections may bear in providing :a sealcircumfierentially about the casket rim. The sealing element 123 may bein the form of tube or cylinder fabricated of live rubber or anysuitable rubber-like material characterized by its ability to yield anddeform to :a partially flattened condition when compressed between therim of the body and the rims of the lid sections. "The sealing elementwill normally be substantially circular in cross-section, and willpreferably, though not necessarily, be of hollow tube formation. Theupper face 24 of the rim 1 l is depressed to iorm a continuous groove orseat 25 circumferentially of the rim, to accommodate the sealing element23. Thus, it will be understood that grooves or seats such as .255 areformed in the front, rear and end sections of the rim H, which extendsall around the casket 'body. It should be noted that the groove or seat25 is arcuate in form, the radius of which is greater than the radius ofthe sealing element. By so forming the grooves, provision sealingelement preferably will be cemented or otherwise fixed to its seat inthe body rim 1 i, so as to obviate displacement as the lid sections areelevated and lowered in advance of final closing of the casket.

The lid sections are hinged to the casket body in a suitable manner, oneform of hinge being shown at 21 in Fig. 2. In this instance, the leaves28 and 29 of the hinge are welded or otherwise fixedly secured withinthe confines of the lid and body rims respectively. As will be noted byreferring to Fig. 2, the rim portions of the lids flatly contact the rimportions of the body, while the sealing element 23 yields to deformationor partial flattening as the lid sections are tightly closed. It ishighly desirable that this metal to metal contact be achieved, in orderthat the sealing element may be fully protected against puncture 01'attack by the elements of the earth, or by such elements as may existwithin a vault that might encaSe the casket. Moreover, the metal tometal contact assures maximum strength and rigidity for the entireassembly when closed and sealed.

The lid rims may be furnished interiorly of the lid with peripheralinner flanges 39, for the purpose of supporting and maintaining in placea suitable lining material for the lids. Similarly, the body rim I! maybe provided with a depending flange 3| to support the usual liningmaterial for the casket body.

In the split lit type of casket shown upon the drawings, it is necessaryto effect an auxiliary seal at'the parting line of the lid sections, itbeing understood that the lid sections are separately movable abouttheir respective hinge points 21. The manner of providing the auxiliarysealing means is clearly depicted'by Figs. 3 and 4. Referring to theseillustrations, it will be noted that the foot section IS'has a verticalinner end wall 32 adapted to meet the end wall 33 of the head section2E3 (Fig. 5) when the casket is fully closed as illustrated by Fig. 1,wherein the parting of the lid sections is indicated at '34. Extendinghorizontally toward the head section from the solid wall 32 of the footsection I9 is the metallic ledge 35, which spans the foot section I9 ona curve or arch, from a point 36 where the ledge meets the casket rim IIto a similar point at the opposite side of the casket. A downwardlyextending flange 31 may be formed integrally with the led e 35 toprovide the necessary rigidity and strength to withstand the force withwhich a transverse sealing element 38 is compressed when the lids areclamped ontothe casket body. The sealing element '38 may be preciselythe same as that indicated at 23, and will rest within agrcove or seat39-formed in substantially the same manner as the groove or seat-25, toaccommodate the sealing element 38 in its compressed or partiallyflattenedcondition, as well as in'its normal cylindrical form. That isto say. the groove or seat 39. like the groove or'seat 25, is formed ona radius greater than the radius of its associated sealing element.

At the terminal end of the ledge 35. adiacent to the meeting point afoot so is fixed thereto or formed thereon and extended horizontallyoutwardly to overlie that port on of the rim surface 24 which liesinwardly of the groove or seat 25, as indicated at M. As shown, the footAll extends toward but does not contact, the sealing element 23. A smallpad '42of resilient substance, such as sponge rubber, is interposedbetween the foot 49 and'the rim surface 4%, and is preferably cemented rotherwise fixed a ainst displacement to the rim surface AI As indicatedin Fig. 3, the'rubber pad 42, the length of which may be slightlygreater than that of the foot 40, is disposed upon the rim surface insubstantial contact with the sealing element 23, as shown at 46, andextends rearwardly to substantially the longitudinal median line of saidfoot. In order to assure a perfect seal at the parting line of the lidrims, the terminal end 43 of the sealing element 38 is brought over thetop of the peripheral sealing element 23, as shown in Fig. 4. A portionof the terminal end-d3 of the transverse sealing element 38 may be cutaway, as indicated at 44 in Fig. 3, the resultant semigasket I33.

.4 circular face 45 abutting the top surface of the foot -49, with thesemi-tubular portion 41. transversely overlying the rubber-pad 42 andthe body rim sealing element 23. It is to be understood,

of course, that this construction is duplicated at into substantialcontact with the upper surface 24 of the body rim, compressing thesea-ling element 23 into its groove or seat 25, while at the same timethe foot 40 will compress the soft rubberpad 42. Thereafter, as theother lid section is swung into closed position, its rim will bear uponand distort the remainder of the sealing element 23, while at the sametime the transverse'sealing element'38 will be contacted by the seat orrecess 4'! of the lid 28, and distorted thereby to a partially flattenedcondition for completing the seal along the ledge 35 and the terminalends 430f the sealing element 38. Recess il spans the lid section-20 ona curve which corresponds to the curvature of the ledge 35, so that themetallic surface of 41 willrest upon the metallic ledge surface 35,while at the same time the seal is effected along the full length of thesealing element 38. As the camming action of the fastening devicesforces the lid and body rims into substantial contact with each other,the soft resilient substance of the rubber Dad 42 is forced into variousrecesses and overlaps adiacent the said pad, thereby effecting anairtight seal at the parting line of the lid rims. The semi-tubularportion 44 is flattened upon closing the lid 20. The foot pieces 40 maybe integral with the ledge member 35, or they may be in the form of thinmetal plates welded or soldered thereto. as shown upon the drawin s. Thefoot'piece so may be disposed'at a slight anglaas'shown in Fig. 4, inorder to compensate for possible bending of said foot piece as it isforced down upon the rubber pad 42 by the clamping action ofthefasteners I8.

In the modificat on ill strated by Fig. 6, there is shown a slightlydifferent cooperative relationship'between the resilient or deformablepad applied to the body rimnand the terminal end of the transversemetallic support I35 for the In this instance the pad corresponding topad 42 of Figs. 3 and 4, is indicated at I42, and it is'aoplied to thebody rim I I! in the same relationship to gasket I23 as was previouslyexplained herein. The only substantial difierence between Fig. 6 andFig. 4, resides in the shortening of foot piece I4!) so that said footpiece will not extend outwardly or toward the marginal gasket I23 tosupport the terminal end I43 of the transverse gasket. In other words,Fig. 6 proposes to modify Figs. 3 and 4 to the extent of eliminatingthat much of the foot as is shown extending to the right of ledge 35.According to Fig. 6, the foot I40 is extended in the opposite direction,or interiorly of the casket. rather than in the direction of themarginal gasket. By means of this construction, there will be no metalinterposed between the gasket elements I38, I42 and I23 when the lidsare'closed upon the casket body, and yet the terminal end of the ledgeelement I 35 performs the function of deforming the pad I42 and forcingit against the marginal gasket I23 to effect a tight seal as previouslydescribed in connection with Figs. 3 and 4. The same result may beobtained by eliminating the foot piece I49 entirely from the Fig. 6construction, and this statement applies also to the constructionsillustrated by Figs. 3 and 4. It is necessary, of course, that some partof the terminal end of the ledge element supporting the transversegasket shall bear upon the deformable pad applied to the body rim. Itwill be understood that the gasket arrangement of Fig. 6 at the front ofthe casket, shall be duplicated at the opposite side or rear of thecasket, so that the transverse seal is effected by the clamping actionof the fasteners [8 after the lids have been moved to closing orcovering position.

In the type of casket illustrated, it will ordinarily sumce to provideeach lid section with two or three front latches, and a single endlatch, which may be of the type illustrated and described in theaforementioned copending patent application, Serial No. 695,136. It willnot ordinarily be necessary to provide latching devices at the rear ofthe casket, since the hinge 21 will exert the necessary clamping forceat that location. As shown upon the accompanying drawings, the latch orfastening device is generally indicated by the symbol it. The keeperplate 48 is fixed to the metal rim 20 by Welding or the like, and isadapted to receive the cammed horn of the latch plate 49. Upon rotationof the exposed head 50 of the latch, a camming action is exerted uponthe keeper plate 48, so that the lid rims will be brought into fiatwisecontact with the body rim, thus compressing the sealing elements 23 and38, and the rubber pad 42, to the desired extent, for completing thecircumferential seal and transverse seal of the casket. disclosed in thepatent application, Serial No. 695,136, suitable means are provided forsealing the various elements of the latch against entry of air, Waterand other extraneous matter into the casket.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes in thestructural details of the device may be made, within the scope oftheappended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thelatching means above described applies to Fig. 6, as well as to thepreceding drawing figures.

What is claimed is:

1. In a casket of the character described, the combination of anelongated open-topped body having a head end and a foot end and acircumferential rim defining the sides and ends of the body, a pair oflid sections hinged along one side of the body for movement to and fromcovering relationship with the open top of the body at opposite endsthereof, said lid sections having inner ends cooperating to form aclosure when the lids are swung to a closing position upon the rim ofthe body, a circumferential compressible gasket on said rim forcontacting the lid sections, an extending ledge on the inner end of onelid section and substantially spanning the width of the body withinlimits established by the gasket, a deformable pad on the body rim ateach side of the casket at a point where the two lid sections meet, anouter edge of said deformable pad abutting an inner side of saidcircumferential gasket, a substantially flat foot piece at each end ofthe ledge to overlie the deformable pads in fiatwise relation theretoand short of abutting relation with the circumferential gasket, atransverse compressible gasket substantially coextensive with the ledgeand having terminal ends overlying the foot pieces and thecircumferential gasket, a transverse sealing surface and rim on theother lid section, to overlie and compress the full length of thetransverse gasket and the foot pieces upon the pad as said other lidsection is closed upon the body, and means for maintaining the gasketsand the pads in compress-ed condition with the lid sections closed.

2. In a casket of the character described, the combination of anelongated open-topped body having a head end and a foot end, and acircumferential rim defining the sides and ends of the body, a pair oflid sections hinged along one side of the body for movement to and fromcovering relationship with the open top of the body at opposite endsthereof, said lid sections having inner ends cooperating to form aclosure when the lids are swung to a closing position upon the rim ofthe body, a circumferential compressible gasket on said rim forcontacting the lid sections, an extending ledge on the inner end of onelid section and substantially spanning the width of the body withinlimits established by the gasket, a deformable pad on the body rim ateach side of the casket at a point where the two lid sections meet, anouter edge of said deformable pad abutting an inner side of saidcircumferential gasket, an outwardly extending substantially flat footpiece at each end of the ledge to overlie the deformable pads and shortof abutting relation with the circumferential gasket, a transversecompressible gasket substantially coextensive with the ledge and havingterminal ends overlying the foot pieces and the circumferential gasket,said ledge and body rim being provided with sealing grooves for thegaskets, which grooves exceed in width the width of the gaskets, atransverse sealing surface and rim on the other lid section, to overlieand compress the full length of the transverse gasket and the footpieces upon the pad'as said other lid section is closed upon the body,and means for maintaining the gaskets and the pads in compressedcondition with the lid sections closed.

3. In a casket of the character described, the combination of anelongated open-topped body having a head end and a foot end, and acircumferential rim defining the sides and ends of the body, a pair oflid sections hinged along one side of the body for movement to and fromcovering relationship with the open top of the body at opposite endsthereof, said lid sections having inner ends cooperating to form aclosure when the lids are swung to a closing position upon the rim ofthe body, a circumferential compressible gasket on said rim forcontacting the lid sections, an extending ledge on the inner end of onelid section and substantially spanning the width of the body withinlimits established by the gasket, an impervious deformable pad on thebody rim at each side of the casket at a point where the two lidsections meet, said pads each having an edge in contact with thecircumferential gasket, an outwardly extending substantially flat footpiece at each end of the ledge to overlie the deformable pads and shortof abutting relation with the circumferential gasket, a transversecompressible gasket substantially coextensive with the ledge andhavingterminal ends overlying the foot pieces and the circumferentialgasket, a transverse sealing surface and rim on the other lid section,to overlie and compress the full length of the transverse gasket and thefoot pieces fnpon the pad as said other lid section is closed upon thebody, and means for maintaining the gaskets and the pads in compressedcondition with the lid sections closed.

a m-mess an zextending'ledge-on the'innerend of one lidsectionz-and"substantiallyispanning the width of the:body within limitsestablished by thegasket, said ledgeihavingiterminal ends to overlie thebodyirimiinside' the circumferential gasket, a de- 'formabletpadson-thebody rim, at each side of the: casket'andidisposed for contact with thevterminalt. ends :of the extending ledge, an outer edge ofsaidldeformablepadabutting an, inner side of saidicircumferential:gasket, a transverse compressible gasket substantially coextensive withthe: ledgeand having terminal ends overlying the circumferentialgasket-a transverse sealing surface and rimton the other lid section tooverlie and-compress'the transverse'gasket, the pads, and thecircumferential gasket with such force as-to'fdrive the terminal ends ofthe ledge into the material of the pads, and to deformthe gaskets andthe pads into contact with one another for eifecting a seal-as saidother-lid section is held closed upon the body.

5.1-In a casket or" the character described, the combination of :anelongated open-topped body having a headendand a foot end, and acircumferential rim defining the sides and ends of the body,a pair oflid sections hinged along one side of the bodyfor movementto andfromcovering relationship with the open top of the body at opposite endsthereof, said lid sections having inner ends cooperating to form aclosure when the lids are swung to a closingposition upon the rim :ol:the body, a circumferential compressible .gasket on said rim forcontacting-the lid sections, an extending ledge on the inner end of onelid: sectionand substantially spanning the width ofthe body withinlimits established by the gasket,.-saidledge having terminal ends tooverlie the body riminsidethe circumferential gasket, a deforinablepadon the body, rim at each side of the casket and disposed for contactwith the terminal ends of the. extending ledge, an outer edge of saiddeformable-pad abuttingan inner side of said circumferentialgasket, atransverse coznpressible gasket substantially coextensive with the ledgeand having terminal ends overlying the circumferential gasket, atransverse sealing surface and rim on therother lid. section to overlieandcompress "the transverse gasket ends upon thecircumferential.gasket'as the terminal ends ofthe ledge impinge upon the pads to effecta seal incident 1 to closing of the lid sections. upon the body of thecasket.

,6..In-acasket of thecharacter described-the combination of an elongatedopen-topped body having a headend and a foot end, and a circumferentialrim defining the sides and ends of the vb0dy, apair of lid sectionshinged along one side of the body for movement to and from coveringrelationship with the open top of the body at opposite ends thereof,said lidsections having inner ends cooperating to form aclosure when rimof the body, a circumferential compressible gasket; on 1 said rim i forcontacting -.the lid sections, anextending ledge on the inner endof onelid section and substantially spanning thewidth of. the body withinlimits established by the gasket, said ledge having terminal ends tooverlie the body rim short of abutting relation with the circumferentialgasket, a deformable pad on the body rim at each side of the casket anddisposed for contact-with the terminal ends of the extending ledge, anouteredge of said deformable padabutting an inner-side of saidcircumferential gasket, and transverse gasket means betweenthe innerends of the lids for sealing the joint therebetween.

'7.'In a casketof the character described, the combination of anelongated open-topped body having a head end-and aifoot end, and aciroumferential rim defining the sides and ends of the body,-a pair oflid sections hinged along one side'of the bodyformovement to and fromcovering relationship with the open top of the body atoppositeends'thereof; said lid sections having inner-ends cooperating toform a closure when the lids areswung to a closing position upon the rimof the body, a circumferential compressible gasket on said rim forcontacting the lid sec- ,tions, an extending ledge on the inner endof-one lid section and-substantially spanning the width of-the -bodywithin limits established by the gasket, said ledge having terminal endsto overlie the body rim :short of abutting relation with thecircumferential gasket, a deformable pad on the body'rim at each sideofthe casket and disposed for contact with the terminal ends of theextending ledge, an outeredge of'saiddeformable pad abutting an innerside of said circumferential gasket and transverse-gasket means betweenthe inner ends of the lids for sealing the joint therebetween, saidtransverse gasket means having ends contacting .the padswhen the lidsections are closed upon the body rim.

8.f'Ihe combination with a casket including an elongated open toppedbody, a circumferential rim defining'thensides andends of the body, apair of lid sections hinged along one side of the body for movement toand fromicovering relation, a circumferential gasketzon said rim forcontacting the lid sections, an extending ledge on the inner end of onelid section and substantially spanning the width of the body inside thecircumferential gasket, and a transverse gasket on said ledge, of a sealbetween the lid sections and the rim which comprises a deformable padattached to the rim inside the circumferential gasket, the outer edge ofsaid pad abutting the circumferential gasket, an end of said ledge beingadapted to overlie the pad short of abutting relation with thecircumferential gasket, and an end of the transverse gasket beingadapted to overlie said pad and the circumferential gasket.

RAYMOND W. BROWN. PHILIP WIENKAMIP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,284,921 Purkiss June 2, 1942FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 207,855 :Great Britain Dem-4, 19 .3

